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The real America's Cup game-changer: AC LiveLine

by Mark Jardine 24 Sep 2013 13:01 PDT 24 September 2013

While on the water, the foiling AC72's are spectacular, the delivery of the 34th America's Cup footage, and the America's Cup World Series prequel, has totally changed sailing as a spectator sport. The system behind this is called AC LiveLine.

The AC Liveline graphics are a technology breakthrough for this America's Cup, providing real time graphics embedded in the live broadcast from helicopters following the race. The race yachts carry a sophisticated tracking and telemetry system. The military grade GPS tracks the boats accurately to 2 cm, enabling the AC Liveline computer graphics to be created on shore.

How the America's Cup footage is relayed from the yachts and helicopters to shore and onward to viewers worldwide - photo © ACEA
How the America's Cup footage is relayed from the yachts and helicopters to shore and onward to viewers worldwide - photo © ACEA

Being able to overlay the boundaries, lay lines, boat speeds (including the VMG) and mark positions has made the sport more absorbing for sailors and more understandable for non-sailors.

Emirates Team New Zealand tacking with lay line, trail, buoy position and boundary all clearly visible - photo © ACEA
Emirates Team New Zealand tacking with lay line, trail, buoy position and boundary all clearly visible - photo © ACEA

On YachtsandYachting.com we have been embedding every single America's Cup and Louis Vuitton Cup race on the homepage. As you can see clearly below from the Google Analytics statistics chart of the last 3 days (Saturday 21st - Monday 23rd September), this has been popular – the 9pm 'peaks' are when the America's Cup races have been held.

YachtsandYachting.com statistics showing the 9pm 'peaks' as people watch the America's Cup racing - photo © Google Analytics
YachtsandYachting.com statistics showing the 9pm 'peaks' as people watch the America's Cup racing - photo © Google Analytics

Take a look behind the scenes as AC UNCUT reporter Genny Tulloch talks with Stan Honey, Ken Milnes and the LiveLine team.

The racing will once again be live on the YachtsandYachting.com homepage from 9pm BST (territorial restrictions apply).

www.americascup.com

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